Holes

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Summary: "Holes" is on a list of must read books for my students.
Review: As a teacher I am constantly looking for new books for my fifth graders to read. This book came along on a Friday afternoon and I planned on reading it aloud to my class starting the following Monday. In my class, if I have not read the book previously, I never read ahead. However, I decided to "start" the book and only read a chapter or two. Four hours later and a series of cancelled plans, I finished it. I have not been so enthralled in a book since I first read "Maniac Magee." It is the endearing because of it's style, it's content and mostly because of the fact that it is constantly changing. Just when you think you have it figured out, Sachar switches focus. I have recommended this book to students and adults, and all have loved it. Just as a kicker, my fifth grade class chose to stay inside from recess for two weeks in order to finish the story faster. They fully enjoyed it, know you will also.

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Summary: The Best Read Aloud!
Review: As a teacher of 7th grade students I am always searching for books to read aloud that will hold the interest of teenagers. HOLES is GREAT! Almost every chapter ends with a "cliff-hanger". With this book, my students begged me to read more!

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Summary: The humor and child like perspective will interest children
Review: As an education major, I read this book for a class about children's literature. Perhaps I am biased towards Sachar because I have always enjoyed his writings, but, I found Holes to be particulary interesting. Since it is told from Stanley's perspective, it is easy for children age 10 and up to relate to and identify. Children who have been outcast by society or believe they will amount to nothing in this world can identify with many of the characters. Children who are bullies or who are picked on by bullies as well as children viewed as trouble kids can relate with Sachar's characters. They are given hope by the survival and victory of Zero and Stanley Yenlats. The comraderie formed between the boys is very realistic in its representation of young boys' friendships. Furthermore, the odd and slightly twisted humor of the story make for a great plot line which will surely keep kids reading. The book is appealing and funny and interesting to kids, therefore getting the hooked on reading and hopefully turning them on to other books as well.

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Summary: A Newbery Medal book young people WILL read!
Review: As an elementary school librarian, I have been disappointed with many of the recent Newbery Medal winning books, mainly because it seemed like adults were selecting books that they thought young people SHOULD read. Many recent Newbery winning books just sit on our shelves.Therefore, when I added "Holes" to our collection, simply because it had received the medal, I expected to see yet another title collecting dust. To my surprise, this book has been constantly checked out since we received it, and young people, especially boys, are always talking about this book.As some of the other reviews have suggested, this book is a bit quirky, but some of the mysterious features of the story propel the reader forward and Sachar does a nice job of filling in the holes by the time you reach the end.Stanley and "Zero" are two boys down on their luck, who become friends in a terrible place. As fate would have it, the misfortunes that brought them together turn out to be interrelated."Holes" is another new book that gets young people to read, much like the Harry Potter phenomenon. Not only that, it gets them to think and talk about what they've been reading. Based on that, this book is recommended.

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Summary: Great themes are present throughout the book!
Review: As college students, we feel this book is true to life for all ages. Stanley is an inspiring character who shows the true meaning of perserverance. Stanley also proves to be a dedicated friend to all of "group D." The flow of the text engaged us and our minds continously pondered about the next events. As future teachers we recommend this book to all and will one day use this book in our classrooms.

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Summary: hooks high schoolers on reading
Review: As high school teachers searching to update our English curriculum, my colleagues and I decided to add Holes to our 11th grade reading list. We taught this book to over 100 students this year and it was overwhelmingly successful. Non-readers were hooked on the book from the first chapter. Even more amazingly, they loved to talk about it, read ahead, asked for a test on the book, and were more interested in reading other books we passed their way. Although the book features a middle school boy, our high school students were enthralled with this story of injustice, friendship, and family legacies. So were we. I highly recommend the book to readers and non-readers of any age.

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Summary: The Bottom Of The Holes
Review: As I read the book Holes I would pick it up and never want to put it down!It sure kept me wondering "what happens next?"
The author Louis Sachar described the charactors and setting so well i felt as if i was in the story digging holes with the rest of his humerous charactors!!
The best part of the book was how while I was reading about a character in his own setting when I turned the page it would be telling me about a whole new set of characters, telling the background of the characters on the previous page. It was as if I was reading three different books. But of course in the end it all comes together!

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Summary: Breathless
Review: As I sat down to read Holes, I thought it might be an enjoyable read so I began. Well I tell you what, that was the best read, my heart was pounding through every page. At age twenty I've read many books. But, none have ever left me so breathless.

Rating:
Summary: absolutely delightful !
Review: as i was reading this charmer i would stop & and look up & laugh as the connections fell into place -unfortunately i disturbed my cats sleep as i did so but all is forgiven as it should be for a book of this delightful nature -i will say no more except for READ THIS BOOK NO MATTER WHAT YOUR AGE & remember its okay to laugh out loud at wonderful juxtaposition & irony

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Summary: A Book for Everyone Who Has Ever Felt Cursed
Review: As my children get older (eight and nine), it is harder to findbooks that hold their attention at story time. This book kept all ofus entertained. It is the story of Stanley Yelnats. This hapless young man was in the wrong place at the wrong time -- all because of his "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather!" My kids loved it and I think your kids (aged eight and above) will love it too.